


Aches and Pains

by Aerilon452



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Complete, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-24
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-08-28 12:36:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16723545
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aerilon452/pseuds/Aerilon452
Summary: Carol takes care of Ezekiel, massaging his back after a long day of work. Then, when morning comes rolling around, an old friend comes to the gates of the Kingdom.





	Aches and Pains

Long days were not uncommon anymore, especially in the Kingdom. When night fell, and his eyes could no longer stay open, Ezekiel headed towards his bedroom. Inside, Carol was already in their bed, wearing one of his shirts, and reading. Momentarily, his weariness was forgotten. He took a second to stare at her. She had one knee bent, the other leg stretched out, and the corner of the covers covering her lap. This was the woman he loved, the woman he married. His heart actually skipped a beat every time he looked at her.

Ezekiel closed the door and then moved over to chair that was in the corner. He pulled free the hem of his shirt and then unbuttoned it. A groan escaped him when he moved his arms to take off his shirt, then he draped it over the back of the chair. Bracing his hand on the wall, he toed off his boots accompanied by more groans of discomfort. Tonight, he sounded like an old man. He pulled free the button of his pants, lowered the zipper, and let them fall to the floor where he stepped out of them. Rounding the end of the bed, Ezekiel stretched out on his back, feeling the days hard work. The aches and pains all settled in his back. He closed his eyes, draping his left arm above his head. 

Carol had waited until her husband settled down in bed next to her. She marked her place in the book she was reading, and then set it aside. “That was an awful lot of groaning you were doing,” she said, sitting next to him with her legs crossed. 

“I’m not as young as I used to be,” Ezekiel joked, glancing at his wife. “It was just a hard day’s work… My back hurts.” There was no sense in lying to her, in trying to seem as if he wasn’t in pain. She would know he was lying through his teeth.

Carol nodded. She pushed back the covers, and then scooted over until she was on the very edge of the bed. “Lie face down in the center, I’ll see what I can do to help.”

Ezekiel looked at her, smiling wryly. “You spoil me,” he said. 

Carol tucked a strand of long hair behind her ear and replied, “I’m your wife, that’s my job.” Then, she patted the space between them signaling to him to get a move on. Finally, with a few grunts of protest, he was lying on his stomach, his hands slipping under the pillows. Before she got started, she leaned over and placed a kiss to his shoulder, making him sigh in contentment. 

Ezekiel moved his head to the side, his eyes still closed, and listened to Carol moving on the bed. He concentrated on relaxing, on letting her ease his pain away. His body felt her every movement, felt her shift and straddle his thighs. He smiled at that. Four years of marriage, and every day his love for her only grew stronger. Four years and he thought his life couldn’t get any better. 

Carol waited for him to settle beneath her while she rolled up the sleeves of the shirt she was wearing. It was his, admittedly, she borrowed it, like she did so many of his others. He never complained about it, though. Ezekiel would admire her in whatever shirt she was wearing, and then on some nights, he would delight in taking it off of her. She loved letting him, too. After the sleeves were rolled up, she set her hands against his lower back. “The moment I press a spot that hurts you, tell me. I don’t want to do more damage,” she advised. 

“Yes ma’am,” Ezekiel said with a smirk. 

“I’m serious,” Carol said, not fooling around. 

“I know,” Ezekiel replied lightly. 

Carol shook her head and then started to rub his lower back. She started lightly at first. Each pass, she applied more pressure until he moaned. It was a mixture of pleasure and of pain. She could tell from the sound that she was lessening the pain, not making it worse. It helped her to continue. Slowly, she worked her way up, until she hit a spot that made him grunt in discomfort. Carol stopped, letting him settle back down. “I should get a hot compress for your back,” she said softly. 

“I’ll be fine without it,” Ezekiel replied, his words slightly slurred. Until she hit that sore muscle, she had been relaxing him, working out the kinks of the day. It was nice lying on the bed, under her tender ministrations. It was almost enough to send him off to sleep. Almost. “All I need is your hands on my back,” he added. 

Even though he couldn’t see it, Carol nodded, and continued to rub his back. She worked her way up, drawing more groans and moans from him. She pressed a little harder, massaging a knot and she must have dug her fingers in a little too hard because he tensed beneath her. When he didn’t protest, she worked the spot again, and this time he settled down further into the mattress. “I’m not hurting you, am I?”

“Not at all,” Ezekiel muttered. He felt her lean down, her hands braced on the bed, then there was the brush of her hair tickling his skin as she pressed a kiss to the center of his back. He grinned, wishing he could see her. “My back feels better already.” His muscle felt loose, and he felt languid, as well as on the verge of falling asleep. There were times he envied her ability to need little rest. 

Carol moved off of him, settling on her back. Ezekiel looked at her and immediately pulled her close. He pillowed his head on her stomach and pressed his body as close to her as he could. One thing her husband liked to do was cuddle with her. She smiled, laughing lightly when he nuzzled her abdomen with his nose before placing a light kiss to her cotton covered skin. Lightly, she moved his dreads aside, and with her other hand, she stroked his bearded cheek. She stayed like that until he slipped into slumber. Then, before too long her eyes grew heavy, and she followed after him. 

 

SUNRISE:

 

Carol didn’t know what woke her. For a minute she listened to the silence around her, and upon hearing nothing that constituted danger, she relaxed. It was then she realized she was lying on her side with Ezekiel’s head resting on her hip. His right arm was between her legs so that he was hugging her close. Just as close as he had before she fell asleep. Carol settled back down to watch him while he slept. This was the time of the morning she enjoyed the most, being with him, reveling in the happiness she felt. 

*Knock, knock*

“Mom? Dad?”

Carol smirked at the sound of her son’s voice. She extricated herself from her husband’s sleepy hold knowing that he wouldn’t wake. When he was deep asleep it was nearly impossible to wake him. Getting out of bed, she picked up her jeans and put them on as well as slipping her feet into a pair of old pair of sneakers. Then, opening the door, she slipped out into the hall. “What’s going on, Henry?” she asked, seeing her son already dressed, carrying his staff. 

“We have a guest,” Henry told his mother.

“Who would be stopping by this early?” Carol wondered, as she motioned for Henry to follow her. 

Together, mother and son walked down the hall, and then headed outside. It was still dark enough, that everyone should be in bed. Including her and her son. But she couldn’t ignore the fact they had a newcomer. When they came to the front gates, Carol stopped when she saw Daryl. He was looking rougher than the last time she saw him. “Hey, stranger,” she said

Daryl nodded, seeing the state Carol was in; rumpled clothes and mussed hair. “I wake you?” he asked in a low voice. In the early morning, any sound was amplified, so he didn’t need to raise his voice for her to hear him. 

“Been up or hours,” Carol replied, giving her friend a smirk. He returned it and that warmed her heart. It had been nearly a year since last she had seen him. In his eyes, she could still see the sadness he felt over losing Rick. She knew his pain, she felt it every day, but she had something Daryl didn’t. She had a husband who loved her and a son that reminded her everyday that life went on. Daryl wouldn’t let anyone get close enough to share the burden of his grief.

“Mom,” Henry said, moving to his mother’s right side, “what about dad? Shouldn’t he know?”

Carol smirked again and shook her head. “I will tell him when he wakes up, but you, I know you’ve been up all-night manning a watch post on the wall. I can see you’re tired, so…”

“I know, I know…” Henry sighed, nodding his head, “go to bed.” Before leaving, he leaned in and kissed his mom on the cheek. He was content to leave her side knowing that she wasn’t in harm’s way.

Daryl watched them, trying not to show his avid curiosity. The last time he’d been in the Kingdom, Henry still called her Carol. “That’s new,” he muttered.

“No, it’s not,” Carol replied while she watched her son heading towards the building where his room was. 

“When did he start calling you mom?” Daryl asked. 

“About a month after Ezekiel and I were married,” Carol replied lightly. She hadn’t thought she would ever want to be a mother again. The death of Sophia had broken her heart and shattered her spirit. She tried to take care of the girls from the prison, but Lizzy had been a budding serial killer. Henry miraculously healed most of the hole in her heart. She had a family again.

“How’s that goin, you and the King?” Daryl asked. 

Carol motioned for him to follow her as she answered, “Four years of marriage and I’ve never been happier.” They walked in silence, heading for the gazebo. “What brings you here?” Carol asked.

“A herd cut me off from my camp. This was the safest place I could get to,” Daryl answered. He removed his poncho, draping it over the railing. Then he shed his pack, dropping it to the floor. He hadn’t wanted to come here, but the herd was moving slower and there were too many for him to simply wait out.

“You know, you don’t have to go back out there. You can stay here,” Carol offered. Though, she knew him. She knew he couldn’t stay behind four walls. Not since Rick. Ever since that day at the bridge, Daryl had been a ghost, disappearing into the woods and leaving no trace of his existence. Unless he wanted to be found.

“I can’t…” Daryl said with a shake of his head. “I don’t belong behind walls.” He spent too much of his time being caged, living life as if he wasn’t made for the world as it was.

“Ok,” Carol acknowledged with a nod. At least she had to try. Stepping down from the shelter of the gazebo, she left him alone with his thoughts. She knew where she belonged, finally. And that place was with Ezekiel, with her son, and with the Kingdom. 

********

Once back in their bedroom, Carol kicked off her shoes, shed her pants, and then climbed back into bed. Ezekiel had since rolled over, sleeping on his side with his back to her. She snuggled in close to him, moving aside a few of his dreads so she could place light kisses to the back of his neck.

“Where’d you sneak off to?” Ezekiel woke the moment his wife rejoined him in their bed. The feeling of her lips pressed against his neck was enough to jump start his sluggish brain.

Carol snuggled closer, kissing his shoulder this time, and then she said, “We had a visitor.” She took a moments pause and then added, “It’s Daryl.”

Ezekiel turned over, putting Carol against his side. He focused his gaze on her and asked, “Is he hurt?”

“No,” Carol said gently. “He said a herd cut him off from his camp and this was the closest place he could wait it out.” She hated that he was living out in the wilderness by himself, but if he didn’t want to live in a community, there was nothing she could say right now that would change his mind. 

“He could reside here permanently, if he wanted,” Ezekiel offered. Though, something told him his wife had already made the overture to the tracker. He knew the bond that existed between the two, and it started long before he ever laid eyes on his beloved wife. 

“I did offer, but he declined,” Carol replied solemnly. She knew that he would and that was what hurt.

“Because of me?” Ezekiel asked, suddenly apprehensive of the answer she could give him. 

Carol’s face softened further. “No,” she said, placing her hand over his heart. “He refuses to come in from the cold because he’s looking for Rick.” 

“Were you not the one who told me that Rick was on the bridge when it exploded?” Ezekiel shifted slightly, settling on his back to make Carol more comfortable resting against his side. 

“I did,” Carol said with a nod. “Daryl never found the body, so he’s taken it upon himself to search for him, and until he combs every inch of this area, he’s not going to stop.”

Ezekiel nodded in understanding. From the short time he had known Rick and Daryl, he could see the brotherly ties they had forged between them. The loss of Rick Grimes affected them all in one way or another. Even he felt the gaping hole left behind by an extraordinary leader.

Carol settled down, resting her head on his chest as she draped her arm across his abdomen. There was nothing else she could say regarding Daryl. Once he set his mind on something, nothing could sway him to stop. Not even her. She had to resign herself to waiting until he made the choice to give up. Rick was gone, and he wasn’t coming back. It hurt, but that was the truth of it. 

Sensing her sorrow, Ezekiel kissed the top of her head. He wrapped his arms around her and just held her. Carol wouldn’t be going back to sleep, she never did, and this morning, neither would he. His wife was at a loss of what to do and he knew she hated to feel like that. Idly, he ran his hand up and down her side while they laid together.

 

AFTERNOON:

 

Daryl hadn’t left the gazebo since Carol left him there. It gave him time to watch the kid. Four years older and still working with his staff. Through the spindles, he spied Carol with Ezekiel, and they were watching Henry too. They were sitting together on a bench, close together. He could see they were happy. That’s all he ever wanted for Carol. She was laughing and smiling more than he had ever seen her do in the past, even during the good days at the prison. 

Daryl stopped fooling with his crossbow, so he could simply sit and watch his closest friend. From where he sat, he could see her body was relaxed, her spirit finally at peace. She wasn’t hiding her true self here and that warmed Daryl. She could finally stop hiding. No one saw what she was doing, except him, but he understood why she had to. Carol had always been on guard, no matter where they were. The Kingdom was the one place she could just be – as she liked to put it. 

Across the way, Carol had her head resting on Ezekiel’s shoulder as they sat together watching Henry go through his normal routine that he’d learned from Morgan. He trained every day to make himself better and to keep himself disciplined. She was so proud of him. “How’s your back?” she asked with a light chuckle. 

“You are a miracle worker, my love,” Ezekiel replied, dropping a kiss to her forehead. Then, he kissed her brow again before saying, “I’ll be right back.” He got up and crossed the open distance to the gazebo where Daryl was. 

Getting up, Daryl reached for his pack. “I’ll be out of here soon,” he said in a rush. 

“There’s really no need for you to rush off. Stay. Carol told me she already made you the offer, but you refused,” Ezekiel replied, motioning for Daryl to stop. “You should stay,” he offered. ‘If only to allay my wife’s fears,’ he wanted desperately to say, but the words dared not fall from his lips. 

“Thanks man, but I got something to do… out there,” Daryl spoke, giving the King a nod of gratitude for the offer. 

“Carol told me,” Ezekiel responded, shoving his hands in his pants pockets. “What happens if you never find his body?” he asked, genuinely curious. “Do you simply remain out in the wilderness away from people, away from a family that cares about you?”

Daryl scoffed automatically. “My family’s scattered between Alexandria, Hilltop… here. I do better on my own, but Carol…” he trailed off, looking over at her. She was truly where she belonged. He knew that. His place was out there, living off the land, being on his own. He looked Ezekiel right in the eye, hoping the other man could see what he didn’t know how to say. The King nodded. 

Henry finished, bringing his staff down, and taking a moment to calm his breathing. He looked over at his mom, automatically smiling. Some mornings, he would train under the watchful eye of his parents. He knew each time they saw him getting better, more controlled with his movements, and they were even more proud of him than they were the day before. This morning, he turned searching for his dad, to find him in conversation with Daryl. He went over to where his mom still sat to ask, “What’s going on with dad? Is everything all right?”

“Yeah, they’re fine,” Carol answered her son. Though, she kept a watchful eye on her husband’s body language, as well as the way Daryl was standing. Neither were tense, which was good. She knew Ezekiel was offering Daryl a place here. He was that kind of good man that wanted to help when he could. 

“Is Daryl going to stay here?” Henry asked, doing as his mother did. He was watching both men. 

“I wish he would,” Carol said in a sad sigh. She got up, figuring her husband and best friend had had enough time on their own. Before, Daryl had been a part of her everyday life. He had her back, joked with her when they weren’t on the run, he would sit with her in silence. Now, whenever he walked away from her, she wondered if it was the last time they would ever see each other. She didn’t want to think about a world without Daryl. He was still her family. Carol hoped that he hadn’t forgotten that. 

Daryl turned, going to retrieve his stuff rom the gazebo. If he left the Kingdom now, he would be back to his camp by mid-day and the herd would have already gone by. He shrugged his pack on, settling the straps on his shoulders comfortably, and then picked up his poncho. It was shaping up to be a warm day, he wouldn’t need it. 

“If you’re determined to go back out there, at least let me walk you to the front gate,” Carol said when Daryl looked at her. She placed her hand on Ezekiel’s forearm, giving him a light squeeze. He smiled knowingly at her and left them to return to Henry. 

The entire time Daryl walked with her back to the front gates, they were silent. He didn’t know what to say. Of course, he didn’t want her to worry about him, but she would anyway. Carol had already offered him a place in the Kingdom, and so had the King; she wouldn’t offer again for a while. With one look to the guards, the gates opened, showing him the open road. 

“Please, be careful out there,” Carol said softly. Then, she reached out and placed her hand on his shoulder to make sure he understood the full weight of her words. She wasn’t going to beg him to stay. She couldn’t because she knew he felt he had to be out there looking for Rick. 

“I will,” Daryl replied, giving her a nod. Like her, he was a survivor. He was just better at it when he was in the woods, on his own. 

“You better,” Carol shot back. Then she let him go. She backed away and watched him walk down the road. At one time, all she had wanted was to be alone, to be away, and surviving out in the world. That all changed because of Ezekiel and Henry. It was hard to see Daryl go, to see him going through a version of what she went through. One day she hoped he gave up the search, but it wasn’t going to be today. 

“Do you think he will ever come back?” Ezekiel asked. He couldn’t leave her side for long. To give her the comfort he knew she needed from him, he drew her into his arms, and held her against him. She would always be sad to see someone she cared for leave. 

Carol wrapped her arms around her husband, pillowing her head on his shoulder. “I hope so,” she answered lightly. Until they crossed again, she wasn’t going to stop living her life, or loving her family. She had finally found a life worth living and a man she could love completely. Looking Ezekiel in the eyes, she said, “Come on, we have a busy day a head of us.” Then, taking his hand, she pulled him away from the gates, and back towards the courtyard. 

 

THE END


End file.
